Omicron 3 times more transmissible than Delta, activate war rooms: Health Ministry to states - 10 points

In a letter to the states and union territories, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised implementing strategic interventions for containment and spread of Covid-19, including Omicron variant

New Delhi: With the Omicron variant of Covid-19 spreading its tentacle across the country, the Centre has told the states to take gear up and be prepared. Asserting that the Omicron variant is at least thrice more transmissible than Delta, the Centre on Tuesday (December 21) asked states and union territories to "activate" war rooms, keep analysing even small trends and surges and keep taking strict and prompt containment action at district and local levels.

In a letter to the states and union territories, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan advised implementing strategic interventions for containment. "Based on current scientific evidence, the VOC (variant of concern) Omicron is at least 3 times more transmissible than the Delta VOC. Besides, the Delta VOC is still present in different parts of the country. Hence, even greater foresight, data analysis, dynamic decision making and strict and prompt containment action is required at the local and district level. The decision making at the state and UT and district level must be very prompt and focussed," he said.

Here are some key points that Bhushan highlighted in his letter to the states and UTs:

- Imposition of night curfew, strict regulation of large gatherings, curtailing numbers in marriages and funerals besides increasing testing and surveillance have been advised

- Measures need to be taken right now - from initial signs of surge in cases of COVID-19 as well as increased detection of the variant of concern Omicron in different parts of the country.

- Steps must be taken to contain the virus and the variant at the local level. At the district level, there should be a constant review of emerging data regarding the population affected by COVID-19, geographical spread, hospital infrastructure and its utilization, manpower, notifying containment zones, enforcement of perimeter of containment zones etc.

- States must "activate the war rooms/EOCs (emergency operation centres) and keep analyzing all trends and surges, no matter how small and keep taking proactive action at the district/local level. Regular reviews with field officers and proactive action in this regard will definitely control the spread of infection and flatten the curve."

- In the case of all new clusters of Covid positive cases, prompt notification of "containment zones", "buffer zones" should be done, strict perimeter control of containment zone according to extant guidelines must be ensured. All cluster samples must be sent to INSACOG Labs for Genome Sequencing without delay, Bhushan underlined.

- Test positivity of 10 per cent or more in the last one week or bed occupancy of 40 per cent or more on oxygen supported or ICU beds should be main elements of the framework to be used by states and union territories to facilitate decision making at the district level.

- A focus on containment, test, track, surveillance, clinical management should be there; door-to-door case search, testing of all SARI/ILI and vulnerable/co-morbid people and the right proportion of RT PCR tests should be conducted daily. It's important to contact trace all Covid positive persons and utilise the access to "AIR SUVIDHA" Portal by State Surveillance Officers (SSOS) and District Surveillance Officers (DSOS) to monitor the international passengers who have arrived in their states and districts

- States and union territories have been asked to increase bed capacity, other logistics like ambulances, mechanism for seamless shifting of patients, availability and operational readiness of oxygen equipment, buffer stock of drugs to be ensured by prompt utilization of Emergency Covid Response Package (ECRP-II) funds released by central government and other available resources etc.

- The existing National Clinical Management Protocol remains unchanged for Omicron. Stringent enforcement of home isolation as per extant guidelines must be ensured. This would include among others: Customized kit for persons undergoing home isolation, their regular monitoring through call centres as well as home visits etc. This is a very critical activity to ensure that persons under home isolation do not spread the virus to others in view of its higher transmissibility.

- States and union territories must ensure 100 per cent coverage of left out first and second dose eligible beneficiaries in an accelerated manner. Special focus to be given to those districts where the first second dose coverage is less than the national average, the letter stated, adding the door-to-door vaccination campaign need to be strengthened. States and UTs must also ensure advance engagement and information so that there is no misinformation or panic, transparent communication on hospital and testing infrastructure availability, regular press briefings etc.

(With Agency inputs)